PROGRESSION OF PRIMARY EDUCATION OF PUNJAB DURING BRITISH PERIOD

This study is aimed to study evolvement of primary education of Punjab throughout British period that ranged from 1846 to independence of India (1947). This study is historical in nature so data collection sources are both primary and secondary that includes reports, official documents and books written in the investigated period. Study period has been divided into four parts on the basis of major developments for exploring the progress and features of primary education in the state during British period. It is concluded that primary education that was informal, community and religion based more particularly indigenous at the time of annexation of British Government transformed to formal education and more systematic at the time of independence. Although at the early years of British rule, primary purpose of the colonial government to foster formal education system based on western models, many worth mentioning changes such as establishing educational institutions through missionaries, introducing western principles alongside indigenous educational practices realistically converted the education system of Punjab. The most influential and significant is the period from Woods Despatch (1854) to Indian Education Commission (1884) which is rightly considered as a period of great movement and fruitfulness in primary education of Punjab.